Groom

Okay, gentlemen, your wedding day has arrived; and whether or not you were in the Boy Scouts growing up, now’s the time to be prepared. When the ceremony starts, you want to be impeccably dressed and groomed, fresh breath and all, ready to say those vows. To help make sure you have everything you need on the day, we’ve put together this checklist for a groom survival kit. Give the list to your best man and make sure everything’s taken care of for the big day.

Toothbrush, Toothpaste, and Floss: You don’t want to knock the bride over with buzzard breath as you’re saying your vows. And you don’t want her happy memory of the day to be tainted with the visual of her groom smiling with something stuck in your teeth. Take a few minutes to brush and floss up before you put on your suit coat (wouldn’t want to get toothpaste on the tux).

Razor: Sure, as the groom, you’re going to shave at home before you head to the venue. But if you miss a spot in your haste to get ready, you’ll regret it all the way through the reception. Take your razor with you in your survival kit for touch-ups just in case.

Lint roller: You may not usually use a lint roller in your day-to-day routine–but you also don’t wear a black tux in your day-to-day. Those things pick up lint, pet hair, and dust like nobody’s business. Have your best man give the whole tux a once-over before you walk down the aisle.

Nail clippers and file: Make sure your nails are cut short and filed before you say your vows. Your bride’s going to hold the hand of her groom while she puts the ring on, and she’ll notice if you put in the extra effort to make them look nice.

Deodorant: Every groom is really nervous on the big day. You might need an extra swipe or two of antiperspirant before the day is done.

Extra pair of black socks: dress socks are notoriously flimsy, and dude’s toenails are notoriously sharp. You don’t want to walk down the aisle with one toe poking out of a hole in your sock, so grab an extra pair.

Cufflinks: Cufflinks are small and easily lost, so we recommend bringing along an extra pair just in case.

Band-Aids: With all the filing and shaving and nervousness, you may need a little first aid before your preparations are done. Always keep some bandages in your survival kit.

Snacks: There’s usually a decent stretch of time between getting to the venue and the part of the reception where you can finally eat something. Make sure to have some snacks (something that won’t stain clothes or your teeth) on hand to keep your blood sugar up.

With the proper groom survival kit, you’ll be fully equipped to roll up to the ceremony without a hair out of place. Oh, that reminds me–you should bring a brush or a comb in your groom’s survival kit, too.

Gentlemen, this is it! It’s the big day, the one you’ve been waiting for. All the planning (which you’ve hopefully been a helpful part of) has finally paid off, and you’re about to say “I do” to the one you love. Before you walk down that aisle, though, here are a few more words of advice to consider that will make your wedding day the best it can be. Specifically, avoid these common pitfalls for grooms:

Don’t Be Late for the Ceremony

Not to stereotype, but punctuality is frequently not a guy’s strong suit. Even if you’re usually an on-time guy, there are enough moving pieces in a wedding that you might roll up a few minutes late. But grooms trust me on this: the very last thing a bride (or a bridesmaid, or the bride’s mother) wants to worry about on the wedding day is whether the groom’s showing up or not. Even five minutes of wondering will seem like an eternity. So you should plan to be there at least a half-hour early and already dressed and ready to go for the wedding.

Don’t Get Hammered at the Reception

Did you know more than half of newly married couples don’t consummate the wedding on their wedding night? And that for most of the couples that didn’t make it happen, it’s because the groom was too drunk? Look, we know the reception’s a party, but it’s not a frat party. Get a good buzz going and nurse it throughout the evening, sure. But if you’re throwing up behind a dumpster in back of the venue, it’s going to diminish the chances of having a memorable wedding night. The goal is to make memories, not drown them.

Don’t Neglect the Bride at the Reception

We’ve been to too many weddings where we never saw the bride and groom in the same place after the cake-cutting. Sure, you want to spend time with your best buds, and you want to be a good host to all the guests. But make sure you take some time to check in with your new bride every now and again. She just got married; she’s got a glow going, and you don’t want to extinguish it by ignoring her. This one’s really important, grooms, so please follow this advice.

Don’t Forget to Hug Your Parents

This is a huge day for you, and nobody’s saying it’s not your day. But take a minute to think about it from your parents’ perspective. They took care of you for eighteen years while you grew up and figured yourself out, and the wedding day is kind of the end of a journey for them. It’s bittersweet watching your child getting ready to start a family of their own. Make sure they know how much you love them, especially on this day.

Don’t Neglect the Dance Floor

Even if dancing isn’t your thing, part of your duties as a groom is to make sure the party gets started. Enlist a few bold groomsmen to help pack that dance floor and show everyone how it’s done. If you can’t dance, don’t sweat it. You’re a married man now and no longer just a groom; you’ve got nothing to prove. Your bride already knows if you can’t dance and she married you anyway.

And above all else, don’t sweat the idea that everything is going to change now that you’re married. Weddings are great fun, but marriages are incredibly awesome, too. Here’s hoping yours lasts a lifetime.